The relationship between Ramadan and Jihad (fighting) in the way of Allah

Rarely a month witnessed so many battles for fighting for the sake of Allah and the achievement of great conquests and victories of Islam like the month of Ramadan. Was that predestined to add more value to Ramadan other than being the month in which the Qur'an was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in order to establish a nation that fills the world with knowledge, enlightenment, and culture.

The month of Ramadan which witnessed the establishment of the Islamic nation was chosen by Allah to raise high the banners of Jihad to protect the nation that raises the banner of monotheism "La ilaha illa Allah (there is no deity but Allah)." This nation sums up the history of the divine calls since Adam, the father of mankind till Muhammad, the master of mankind, who sealed the messages of prophets and whose religion is the last one. Therefore, his followers were entrusted with protecting, disseminating, and making the religion of Allah superior by Jihad in the way of Allah which has no parallel among the acts of worship. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) answered when a man asked him: "Direct me to an action that equals Jihad?" He said: I do not find any. then said: "If the Mujahid (one who fights in the way of Allah) goes for Jihad, can you enter your Masjid (mosque) to offer Salah frequently and fast without breaking your fast?"

Who can do that?

Because of the importance of Jihad for the Islamic nation to make the word of Allah superior and the word of those who disbelieve inferior, Jihad was made as a collective duty: if some do it, others will be overlooked except if the enemy conquers a Muslim country, in this case all Muslims, even women, must go for Jihad to ward off the enemy.

Islam has made Jihad a great honor which no other action can match and whoever does not gain that honor should, at least, wish for it, otherwise he will die while have a quality of hypocrisy as the Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever dies and he neither participated in Jihad nor wished to participate in will die while having a quality of hypocrisy."

Linking Jihad in general with Ramadan is a link between two close friend. Fasting of Ramadan contains no hypocrisy exactly as Jihad. The fasting of Ramadan contains forbearance to hardship exactly as Jihad needs patience for hardship. For this reason, fasting was a training for Jihad but it is one of the important factors in a prophet's choice to the leaders of his army. It was reported that the Messenger (peace be upon him) sent a group of his Companions for a battle, but they differed and returned back before going to the battle. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) saw them, he became angry and said: "You went as a group but came back apart. By Allah, I will send a man who is not the best among you but he is more patient to hunger and more patient to thirsty." Fasting and Jihad are correlated, so there is no wonder that Ramadan contains all these victories and battles which changed the course of history.

Ramadan, the first year after Hijrah (migration):

The first military detachment in Islam was formed under the leadership of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and about them the following Ayah was revealed: "And fight in the Way of Allâh those who fight you, but transgress not the limits. Truly, Allâh likes not the transgressors. [This Verse is the first one that was revealed in connection with Jihâd, but it was supplemented by another (9:36)]." [Surat Al Baqarah: 190].

The first Ramadan in 666 AH:

King Al Zhahir seized Antioch and expelled Tatars.

The tenth of Ramadan 1393 AH:

Crossing the Suez Canal, destroying the Bar-Lev Line, and eliminating the myth of the Israeli army which was unbeatable.

11 Ramadan 880 AH:

Muhammad Al Fatih gained victory and subjugated the Tatars in the Crimean peninsula to the rule of the Ottomans.

11 Ramadan 1126 AH:

Ottomans retook Archipelago of the Aegean Sea.

14 Ramadan 1218 AH:

The eruption of a demonstration from inside Al Azhar Mosque against the French occupation.

16 Ramadan 4 years before Hijrah:

`Umar ibn Al Khattab announced the necessity of declaring the Islamic call.

17 Ramadan 2 AH:

The great battle of Badr.

19 Ramadan 939 AH:

The Turkish Sultan, Sulayman Al Qanuny besieged (Vienna) the capital of Austria.

22 Ramadan 2 AH:

The Prophet's invasion to Banu Sulaym as a response to their conspiracy with his enemy in the time of adversity and war.

22 Ramadan 1251 AH:

The hero `Abdul-Rahman Al Jaza'iry led the war against the French.

25 Ramadan 658 AH:

The Battle of Ain Goliath which stopped the advance of the Mongols in the East.

28 Ramadan 1303 AH:

Al Mahdi army defeated the British occupation army and Al Mahdi settled down in Sudan.

Moreover, in Ramadan there were two great victories from the greatest in the Islam conquests which were the opening of Makkah in which the last idol of the Pre-Islamic Era was destroyed in order that the people would enter in the religion of Allah in groups and there the truth has come and the falsehood was vanished. The second opening was (the opening of Andalusia) which conveyed Islam to Europe and caused the light of Islamic civilization to enter into Europe and placed Europe at the age of renaissance. Today, the conditions were reversed and Muslims lagged behind, whereas the European advanced, so, when will Muslims make a new opening in the field of civilization in order to be at the level of responsibility toward the Islamic religion which Allah entrusted to them?

Resources:

• Ramadan between language and history - an article of `Abdullah Al Kabir in Al Wa`y Al Islamy Magazine [Islamic awareness] - Kuwait - Ramadan 1393 AH.

• The month of memories and history- an article of Dr. Muhammad `Abdul-Mun`im Khafajy.

• Majallat Al Tasawwuf Al Islamy [Islamic Sufism Magazine]- Ramadan 1405 AH.

• Great events during the month of Ramadan - Majallat Al Tasawwuf Al Islamy [Islamic Sufism Magazine]- Ramadan 1405 AH.